This is my rough draft of my I-Search essay so far. I know there are items that are missing including my title, third source evaluation, and conclusion. Let me know what you think by leaving a comment.
Diffusion of New Automotive Technologies for Improving Energy Efficiency in Brazil's Light Vehicle Fleet.
Link to the article: http://search.proquest.com/pqrl/docview/507882769/280357BA7594A4BPQ/5?accountid=14925 After reading the article about the Automotive Painting Process (see previous post), I have redefined my search terms in ProQuest using the advanced search, hoping that I will get specific results. Using keywords such as "automotive industry," "environmental issues," and "energy efficiency," I have found this scholarly source that talks about the Brazilian automotive industry. This source of information is collaboratively authored by several people, making this a good scholarly article. It discusses about how Brazil used technology to create vehicles that was powered by ethanol. The program was prompted by the National Alcohol Program that implemented anhydrous ethanol as a substitute for 20% of regular gasoline consumed. Vehicles that were first introduced to the diffusion program had several imperfections: engine function irregularity and corrosion problems in the fuel reservoir, pump, filters, and carburetor. These issues were resolved after the vehicles were converted to ethanol-consuming cars. This is a great source for my I-Search essay because it talks about how ethanol is better for the environment. It has lower emissions and makes cars more fuel efficient. Suppliers and Environmental Innovation. The Automotive Paint Process
Here's a link to the scholarly article: http://search.proquest.com/pqrl/docview/232361242/57D51228C90A4D41PQ/1?accountid=14925 I have found this article through the research guides on the Wayne State University Library website. On the website, there is a list of websites for scholarly journals that a student could use to their discretion. The article I found discusses the automotive painting process that auto manufacturers use in their production of vehicles. It talks about how the painting process is a complex and extremely energy intensive operation. This process is the primary source for air emissions in the manufacturing stages of the vehicle. It is a process for air emissions of regulated chemicals, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and hazardous air pollutants (HAPs). Automotive paint on most vehicles consists of up to six layers of different coating materials that are applied separately. Solid and hazardous wastes are created in the painting process from waste paint through overspray (paint that does not adhere to the vehicle surface) and through chemicals that are used to clean the paint in the lines and application equipment. The author of the article states that one of the most effective means for reducing emissions and hazardous wastes from automotive painting is to reduce the level and number of input chemicals through material substitution. New paint and coating materials (waterborne and powder paints) can be specifically formulated to contain fewer volatile organics and other regulated chemicals, leading to lower levels of pollutants for treatment or control. I thought that this would be an excellent source to evaluate in my I-Search essay because automotive painting as the article discusses, is a major factor in manufacturing emissions. This is a good example about possibilities to produce vehicles in a more efficient way than they already are. Here's my introduction to my essay:
I love the automobile inside and out. I have had a passion for cars for as long as I can remember. There’s something about a car that fascinates me, something that draws my attention. Recently, I have become more attached to the automotive industry more than I have ever been and I find myself reading news articles about the goings on or conducting research about issues or problems that occur within the industry. After awhile, I wanted to find problems that I could possibly solve or desired to solve in the future when I graduated with a mechanical engineering degree from Wayne State and possibly enter the car industry. The problem that I came to my mind is how to make the cars and trucks that the automotive industry produces more environmentally friendly than they already are. How can we make production of vehicles cleaner to the earth? Is it possible to use materials that are biodegradable to the planet we call home? Such questions I ask because I don’t have a clear understanding about ways to preserve the environment. Preserving the globe is extremely important because since there are a large number of people on the earth, we need to preserve it for future generations. I want to know more than just making cars fuel efficient, light weight, and changing the ways that people drive on the roads. Of course, these are good solutions to reduce pollution, but I want to know more, I want a deeper understanding. This I-Search essay will explore whether or not the answers I discover will give me that deep understanding that I want. My I-Search question is how can we make the cars and trucks that the automotive industry produces more environmentally friendly than they already are? Can we make production of vehicles cleaner to the earth? Is it possible to use materials that are biodegradable to the planet we call home?
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Ross EllisHi! My name is Ross and welcome to my blog! Archives |